Elvers Fly

Whitebait runs are a springtime highlight for many. Some years the action is brilliant, while others it is patchy or non-existent. It’s all part of the whitebait allure.

After the flurry of activity in the estuaries, the runs subside and we move off to our usual lakes or streams. However, there is often a silent partner in the whitebait runs that keeps these rivers on the fishing radar a little longer — eels.

Born somewhere in the Coral Sea, the transparent leaf-shaped larvae (leptocephalus) drift down along the east coast, gradually transforming into ‘glass eels’. They then move into the estuaries where they acclimatise to fresh water and begin to darken, becoming elvers.

These 2-inch long miniature eels move upstream and spread throughout the system to grow and mature. Remaining anywhere from 15 to 30 years before moving back downstream and out to sea to spawn.

Glass eels look very similar to whitebait and mostly run at the same time, almost certainly mixed in together at times. Their clear transparent body has a thin black line and dark eyes. Your standard whitebait patterns and techniques will cover glass eels.

It’s once they darken and become elvers that a different approach is needed. Hugging the bottom, the elvers move upstream close to the edges where the current is reduced. Fish seen herding ‘baitfish’ against the edges are often chasing elvers.

The best action is below any obstacle in the river, natural or manmade. Weirs, culverts and small waterfalls are prime locations, where the elvers gather before wriggling their way upstream.

A thin pattern is best. Too much bulk, like a Woolly Bugger, will draw follows from trout without a committed take. While Matuka style flies can work well, there are some interesting elver patterns using various synthetics and suede type skins.

A jig style hook allows you to fish the fly right on the bottom and avoid catching on the streambed too often.

Attach your thread just back from the hook eye and begin to wrap a thread base. After several wraps add in your wire rib and continue the thread base down the hook shank, tying the wire in as you go.

For some weight, place eight wraps of 0.1mm lead wire in the middle of the shank and secure with a few wraps of thread. Then, starting at the rear, add a small amount of dubbing to your thread and cover the hook shank as you wrap forward, leaving a little space free at the front.

The main body of the fly is made in two halves, one on either side of the hook shank. For the under body select two small portions of EP fibres. A darker portion roughly the thickness of half a match, and a lighter portion a little thinner. Tie them down at the front of the hook shank, darker portion first, then the lighter portion on top. Then wrap the wire rib forward over the EP fibres.

The upper half of the body is a trimmed down Zonker strip. Hold the strip tight and clip the hair down to two or three millimetres in length, saving the trimmings for dubbing on other patterns. Now flip the hook over, and while it is out of the vice, pierce the Zonker strip onto the hook, creating a tail approximately two hook lengths long.

Position the front of the Zonker strip along the hook shank carefully so the strip stays level. Pull it too tight and the tail section will tilt downwards. With everything straight, tie down the Zonker strip firmly at the front of the shank. Trim any excess and form a neat head over the tie-down point with your thread, then secure with a whip finish.

Cut off any excess EP fibres and, if you prefer, trim the end of the Zonker strip to a point.

Lastly, some eyes. While elvers have small dark eyes, a drop of black nail varnish works, but I prefer a more prominent eye which provides a great trigger for the fish. Small domed 3/32” Mirage eyes with their pearlescent quality really stand out in the water. Once positioned, secure the eyes with a coat of head cement or epoxy.

Elver feeders are often quite obvious and usually close to the edges. You can cover individual fish or search areas where they have been seen feeding periodically. A steady retrieve works best, either a figure eight with your fingers, or tuck the rod under your arm and do a slow double hand roly poly retrieve. While casts along the bank keep the fly in the feeding zone for longer, just be wary of casting over the top of fish and spooking them.

There are two main species of eels, shortfin and longfin. Shortfins are more common in Australia and run from mid-winter to late spring, whereas longfin eels have the edge in New Zealand and run later, from mid-summer to late autumn. Wet summers see better adult eel migrations down to the sea, and subsequently the following years often have good elver numbers.

Eels are not on everyone’s list when they think of trout, but when the conditions are right, they can rival any good whitebait run and are worth keeping in mind.